After a 2,200-day wait, the Chattanooga Lookouts returned to the Southern League playoffs for the first time since Jonathan Rodriguez blasted a memorable walk-off home run to capture a share of the 2017 league championship.
The start to the Southern League North Division Series did not go in the Lookouts favor, however, as they lost 3-1 on the road Tuesday night to the Tennessee Smokies in game one of a best-of-three series.
Owen Cassie’s RBI double highlighted a three-run third inning for the Smokies (1-0) as he and BJ Murray each had two hits and drove in a run. Cade Horton tossed five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts to pick up the win, while Hunter Bigge recorded the save with two strikeouts.
Edwin Arroyo and Alex McGarry each had two hits in Tuesday’s defeat, while Southern League player of the week James Free reached base three times.
Quincy McAfee’s one-out, bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning brought in Rece Hinds for Chattanooga’s lone run.